Hungering & Thirsting After Righteousness
Part 4 - Beatitudes
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Topic # 09
Introduction
A.
Here is a key to happiness in our lives.
1.
The whole world is looking for happiness, yet sadly never seems to find
it.
2.
Look at the present state of the world.
3.
The answer is simple - and it is found here.
B.
The world hungers & thirsts for happiness as a direct acquisition.
1.
Text does not say: Blessed
are those that hunger & thirst after happiness.
2.
By putting it as the thing we desire, we miss it.
3.
Happiness comes as a product - a result - from seeking something else.
4.
The world is really sick in that it desires pleasure constantly.
5.
Like a patient getting medicine to relieve pain, rather than a cure for
the illness causing the pain.
a)
The world is unhappy - has pain - will run to anything - take anything -
do anything - to relieve the pain.
b)
Pleasure may cause you temporarily to forget the pain - but the disease
is cured only by hungering and thirsting after righteousness.
C.
This is equally true in the church.
1.
Christians spend their lives hungering for some kind of blessedness or
happiness they see in others.
2.
They most frantically search for some experience that will fill them
with joy.
3.
The way to find joy in Christ is not to look for it, but to seek
righteousness.
I. Let us define the Righteousness that we
are to Hunger for:
A.
Negatively:
1.
It is not a general morality among nations.
2.
It is not being a good person or having good morals.
3.
Not simply justification from sins. In the context with the other beatitudes, it seems to take on
a much great significance.
B.
Positively:
1.
It is the desire to be free from sin because sin separates one from God
– Isa 59:2.
2.
It is the desire to keep his commandments – Psa. 119:172
a)
If I am hungering & thirsting after righteousness then Lk. 6:46 will
not be a problem!
3.
It is the desire to be free from the power of sin.
a)
This naturally follows being poor in spirit and mourning.
b)
One comes to realize that he lives in a wicked world controlled by Satan
– See Eph. 2:2
4.
He wants to be freed from the power of that "law in his
members." Rom 7:23
5.
He desires for sin "not to have dominion." Rom. 6:12
6.
It is the hunger to be free from the very desire to sin.
a)
to be free from the tendency to like sin or to find pleasure in it.
7.
It is the desire to be free from self, with all its ugly
manifestations...
a)
pride
b)
boasting
c)
desire of worldly things.
8.
More positively, it is longing to be perfectly holy. Gal. 5:22-23
a)
One must show the fruits of the Spirit in his life.
b)
His needs to have fellowship with the Father, and with His son Jesus
Christ. - 1 John 1:3
9.
In the end, most of all, it is really to be like Jesus.
II. What does it Mean to Hunger &
Thirst?
A.
This brings us to the practical aspect of the matter.
1.
We need to recognize our own unrighteousness. One does not hunger for that which we already have.
2.
It is consciousness of a deep need - a desperate need.
3.
It is a constant consistent need - hunger & thirst are not passing
feelings.
4.
It is a need that is deep and painful. Like actual physical hunger & thirst.
B.
One should hunger for righteousness like a lover hungers for the
companionship of his beloved. OR as David said in Psalms 42:1-3
C.
How can one tell whether he is hungering & thirsting after
righteousness?
1.
Study the Biblical examples of those who did hunger and thirst. - And
note those who were filled.
2.
Can we really see that our righteous deeds are as a filthy garment? See Isa. 64:6
3.
Remember the example of Paul in Phil. 3:7-8
D.
We can avoid that which may be harmless but than take the edge off our appetite
for righteousness.
1.
How is your spiritual appetite? The question of appetite is a delicate one eating between meals destroys
appetite.
2.
We become so fascinated with some things that we spend more time - find
ourselves less hungry for God.
E.
We must discipline ourselves as to be reminded daily of our search for
righteousness!
1.
"But I am so busy!!!"
2.
It is amazing how we find time to do what we want to do.
F.
Do we always put self in places to obtain righteousness?
1.
Look at the blind man, Bartimaeus - who took his stand on the high
road. Mark 10:46
2.
Take, for instance, faithful attendance at Sunday school and worship
services.
a) "The more I am in the house of God and with the right people, the more apt I am to find righteousness."
G.
How much time do we spend with our bible? In Bible Study?
1.
There is power - Romans 1:16
2.
There is life - Luke 8:11; Hebrews 4:12
3.
It is your letter from God.
H.
How often and earnestly do we pray?
1.
This is a good gauge of your appetite.
2.
Think of the importunate widow - Luke 18:1-8
3.
Think of Jacob wrestling with the angel until the break of day - Genesis
32:24-32
4.
Think of Jesus - Luke 6:12
III. For They Shall Be Filled.
A. They shall be filled with the righteousness they seek.
B. They shall be filled with the happiness in this life.
1. There is no life to compare with it.
a. holiness
b. joy
c. love
d. peace
e. being able to sleep at night
f. Freedom from guilt.
2. This is one of those strange paradoxes. We are filled by being empty. Empty of what?
a. The
things of this world.
b.. We should place our blessings in heavenly
things. Not the things of the
world.
c. Remember Matt. 6:19-21
C. We
shall be filled in the bliss of eternal life.
Conclusion
A. Jesus gave us the real key to happiness by providing spiritual fullness
to be found in His own words.
1. John 15:11 - These things have I spoken to you, that my joy may be in
you, and that your joy may be made full.
B. Are
you hungering and thirsting after righteousness?
C. Why
not obey Him today?
D. I N
V I T A T I O N